


This Is the Story of How They Met

by kcracken



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Budding Love, Gen, M/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-25 18:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2632391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcracken/pseuds/kcracken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They met in all sorts of situations. Some fell in love immediately. Some finally realized that maybe love was there all along. Some have been in love for a while already. And this is how they all got together.</p>
<p>(Title taken from "Where Did the Party Go" by Fall Out Boy)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Spencer Smith loved his job at This City Music. He was really grateful for Patrick hiring him at the music store right out of high school. Drum sticks weren’t exactly cheap; especially at the rate he tended to break them. He couldn’t help that he used his drums as an outlet for his aggression. It was better than beating people up or keeping it all in like he used to. Patrick even let him run the store however he wanted, playing whatever music he wanted while he worked, as long as he didn’t chase off any potential customers.

Today was quiet. Everyone was in school or at work already. The only customers on days like this were usually just moms who were out shopping with their babies, old people or Gerard. 

Gerard was Patrick’s boyfriend. Gerard liked to come into the store and bug Spencer by taking down multiple guitars to play with and forgetting to put them back up. That always meant Spencer had to go clean up after him. He couldn’t blame him for forgetting. After all, Gerard was a rather popular comic book artist, hardly ever leaving their house because he just really didn’t have to unless he needed more paper or pens or paints or whatever.

Today Spencer had a practice pad set up on the counter and was beating out different rhythms, trying to see what he liked and what his roommate might like. They were trying to start a band, but they weren’t that great since it was just the two of them, drums and guitar, and Spencer didn’t like to sing.

Frank Iero had the day off. Okay, Frank _always_ had the day off because he worked at a bar. He also had a band, and today he needed replacement strings for his guitar because he’d used his last one two weeks ago and he was pretty sure his B was about to break. 

He entered the music store cautiously. It was the first time he’d been in this store. He’d moved into the neighborhood near the mall about a month ago. It was closer to the bar, and since he really didn’t have money for a car, or to continue taking the bus to work every day, it was really better for him.

The guitars were near the front, a large display filling the window. He wandered through, glancing at the Fenders and Gibsons and wishing he had the money to afford the bright orange Gibson that had caught his eye. He didn’t dare touch it for fear of breaking it and having to pay for a guitar he’d never gotten to play. As he was browsing, someone else came in and headed straight for a bright pink Fender. Frank glanced up to see a plain looking girl with shoulder length black hair holding the guitar gingerly.

“Put the Strat back, Gerard, or I swear I will tell Patrick what you’ve been doing.”

The girl squeaked and jumped in shock. She carefully placed the guitar on one of the stands and slinked through the store towards the back. Frank watched her curiously. Shrugging, he picked up a couple of packets of strings and headed up to the counter.

Spencer was pounding out a particularly complex cadence when he saw Frank approach. He stared at him, not stopping his drumming, considering the young man approaching him. He couldn’t be much over five feet tall, so he had to be a kid. “Can I help you?” Spencer asked.

Frank looked into intense ice blue eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Wow, this guy was gorgeous. He was obviously a drummer, which meant upper arm strength, which, yeah, that white t-shirt was nearly bursting at the seams. Frank had to play this cool. He tossed the packs on the counter. “Just need to pay for these, unless you’re willing to let me just walk out of here with them.”

Spencer raised his eyebrow at the kid as he set his sticks down on the counter. “Why would I do that?”

Frank shrugged and grinned brightly. “Because I’m cute and irresistible?”

Spencer actually couldn't refute the cute part, but he had to keep up his hard ass demeanor. He rolled his eyes and began ringing up the strings. 

Frank watched as he worked effortlessly with the register. "So, how did you know that girl was picking up that Stratocaster and why did you call her Gerard?"

Spencer's eyes snapped up and he looked a bit upset. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. He didn't know it was Gee today. He quickly hit the total button to cover himself. "That'll be thirty three fifty seven."

It was Frank's turn to curse under his breath. He hated that the only strings he really liked were so expensive. He pulled out his wallet and grabbed his emergency credit card. 

Spencer arched an eyebrow again at the card. "Are you even old enough to have this?" he questioned as he took the card. There was no way this guy was older than him. 

Frank's mouth fell open in disbelief. "Seriously? How old do you think I am?"

"Sixteen? Seventeen at most."

Frank would readily admit that he looks younger than he actually is because he's so short. But his arms were covered in tattoos. He even had some on his hands. How did this guy miss that? He pulled his driver's license out and handed it over. "I'm twenty-five, mother fucker."

Spencer took the card and looked at the date. Well, what do you know, this guy really _was_ three years older than him. And his birthday was on Halloween. _And_ his name was Frank. He handed his license back with a slight tinge to his cheeks. "Okay, but you can't blame me. You're, like, shorter than my sisters and they're only fifteen." 

Frank snorted and took his license back. "Yeah, I'm shorter than most everybody's sister."

"Yeah, but you have a kick ass birthday," Spencer said as he ran Frank's card. 

"Fuck yes I do." Frank smiled from ear to ear. 

Spencer handed him the receipt to sign and bagged the strings. "Here ya go," he said as they exchanged the pen and receipt for the bag. "Have a nice day."

"See you around," Frank replied as he walked towards the exit. He was almost out the front when he heard the other man call him.

"Hey, Frank, come back in soon. I'll let you play that orange Gibson you were drooling over."

Frank came to a stuttering stop. How the _fuck_ did he know that? He threw his hand up to acknowledge he'd heard him. "Hell yes," he replied, walking out with a spring to his step.


	2. Chapter 2

Jon Walker alternately loved and hated his job. He worked at the local no-kill animal shelter. He _loved_ that he got to help abandoned animals find new, better homes. Jon was the hardest on prospective adopters out of everyone at the shelter. On the flip side, he _hated_ seeing people bring in pets that they “just don’t have time for anymore.” That pissed him off. Why did they even get a pet if they were that busy in the first place? Or why were they so irresponsible to not have their pet spayed or neutered and got mad when she got pregnant or he got a local dog or cat pregnant? It was definitely a love/hate relationship.

Today was starting out to be a good day. He’d fed all of the animals and headed to his spot up front to greet people as they came in. It’d been quiet for an hour before the small bell above the door jingled to announce someone’s arrival.

Jon looked up at the man entering. He was shorter than Jon with straightened black hair. He knew this because of how much product there was to keep it straight. The ends looked sharp enough to injure. Putting on his best smile, he said, “Hi, how may I help you?”

The man looked a little lost, glancing around as he walked closer to the counter. “Um, I was looking at getting a dog maybe.”

“Maybe?” Jon scrutinized him a little closer. If he wasn’t sure, then Jon certainly wasn’t going to let him adopt any of their dogs.

The man heard his tone of voice and looked up into Jon’s brown eyes. “Uh, well, I live by myself and it’s kinda… and my therapist said…” He stopped, eyes widening a little. He hadn’t meant to say that. Yes, his therapist had suggested he get a pet to help him with his depression and anxiety, but that really wasn’t something he was ready to admit to everyone.

Jon understood, though. He put a stack of papers on top of the counter and pulled out a pen. “Okay, do you know what kind of dog you’re looking for?”

The man shrugged. “I really don’t know. Something smallish, I guess, but not too small. I live in an apartment.”

Jon nodded and wrote something down on the paper in front of him. “What kind of hours do you work? Will you have a lot of time to spend with the dog, or will you be gone most of the day?”

“I work down at Cobra Studios, so I could probably take him to work with me.”

That caught Jon’s attention. Jon played guitar and had always dreamed of one day making a record. Cobra was the local studio that had seen quite a few great bands come through on their way to the top. “Wow, really? What do you do there?”

“I'm in production. I help the bands with recording and stuff."

"That is awesome," Jon said in awe. He wrote down a few more things before looking back up at the other man. "Okay, I think I have the perfect match for you, but I have one more question."

"Shoot," the man said. 

"Some breeds have health issues as they get older. Are you willing to make sacrifices for your dog?" 

The man nodded. "I don't have many friends. I work, play in my band and come home to sleep."

"You play in a band?" Now Jon was really interested. 

"Yeah. I play in Angelis Prep."

Jon nodded in thought. "I've seen posters. Never heard you, though. Oh, my name's Jon." He held out his hand to him. 

"I'm Pete," he replied, grinned and shook his hand. He had relaxed a little when Jon mentioned his music. "I play bass. You should come hear us sometime."

Jon smiled and held the other man’s hand a little longer than he really needed to. "Okay, Pete. If you'll wait here, I'll go get Hemmy ready." He let go of his hand and headed to the back. 

Several minutes later, Jon returned to find Pete pacing the small lobby. “Sorry it took so long,” he apologized. “I took him out first. He’s really good about doing his business and coming right back in.” Jon smiled and walked over to one of the doors in the room. He waved Pete to come enter.

Pete walked into the room. There was a small area surrounded by a low fence, and inside that area was the ugliest yet most adorable dog he’d ever seen. He was pretty sure it was an English bulldog. He’d seen them on TV before. And he was pretty sure the little guy was wagging his tail, because his entire back end was moving. Looking over at Jon, he asked, “Can I?”

Jon had closed the door and his smile was even broader, if that was possible. “Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? To see if you two get along.” Jon had barely finished his sentence when Pete was over the barrier and down sitting cross legged on the floor. “His name is Hemmingway.”

Pete didn’t care what the dog’s name was. The little guy immediately attacked and began licking his entire face. Pete giggled and fell over on the floor as he got pounced by the huge, friendly dog.

Jon watched as Hemmy kissed Pete’s face and hands. He could see that the other man had relaxed the moment he stepped into the area with the dog. Pete’s shoulders weren’t hunched and he was laughing openly, the sound actually tugging a little at Jon’s heart.

Pete finally found Hemmy’s spot and the dog fell over to have his belly rubbed, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. “Oh my God, he’s hilarious,” Pete said, a huge toothy grin on his face. “His name’s Hemmingway?”

“Yeah,” Jon replied as he sat on the bench outside of the play area. “He was part of an accidental litter. I can’t stand when people do that to their animals.”

Pete looked up in concern and nodded in sympathy. He didn’t understand why people were that stupid, either. Granted, he felt grateful this person had brought Hemmingway here or he’d have never met the dog, or Jon.

“Hemmy was supposedly the runt of the litter, because he was smaller than the others as a newborn,” Jon continued. “That’s really a misnomer. He has turned out to be bigger than all of his litter mates.”

“So, why Hemmingway? Are you a fan?”

Jon grinned. “Uh, yeah. I love to read. Plus he’s from near Chicago, where I’m from.”

“Holy shit, really?” Pete said, now even more interested. “I’m from Chicago, too!”

“Small world,” Jon replied with a laugh. He noticed Hemmingway had curled up in Pete’s lap and was lightly snoring as the other man stroked his fingers over the top of his head. “I think you’ve found a friend.”

Pete looked down at the weight between his legs and smiled. It was warm and comforting, just like his therapist had said. “Yeah. So, um, when can I take him home? I mean, if I’ve been approved.”

“Well, we just have to fill out a little bit of paperwork and work out the payment, but I think after that, you can take him home with you. If you’re ready for him, that is.”

Pete grinned widely. “I think I’m ready.”

It took almost two hours to finish the paperwork, get the payment worked out and for Jon to give Pete the number to a local vet, directions to the dog park and a bag of Hemmingway’s favorite food. With the dog on a leash that had been donated by the vet and the bag of food under his arm, Pete thanked Jon. “You’re totally open to me calling with questions, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” Jon said quickly. “I mean, he’s your first pet. I’m sure you’ll have questions.”

“Cool.” Pete opened the door and headed out to take Hemmingway to his new home. He’d probably be calling Jon soon, not only with questions about raising a dog, but probably to invite him to come see the band, too.


	3. Chapter 3

Andy Hurley was one of the best Grid League competitors since its inception. The Grid League was a professional sports competition that included weight lifting and other athletic events. Andy was a vegan and considered himself straight edge, though he did dabble in relationships sometimes. 

His favorite thing to do outside of his job was going to the local health food store. There was a big chain store that had opened up recently, but he preferred to go to the smaller store. They got all of their items locally. Another reason was Brendon. 

Brendon Urie worked at the health food store as a way to afford school. He was working on his masters in music and needed the income. It was nice that he got to take home leftover food. Consequently, Brendon also loved when Andy came into the store. They would talk about music as long as they could. 

Today they were discussing drums, their favorite subject since they both played. "Have you tried those new Zildjin cymbals? They sound kinda tinny," Brendon said. 

Andy nodded. "So, totally not worth checking out?"

"Yeah, I was really surprised by them. My percussion professor said they are totally not worth the price."

Andy picked up another grape from the pile between them popped it in his mouth. "You really need to come see my band play."

Brendon nodded. "Yeah, I really should." He leaned against the counter just gazing at the man across from him. Andy was a little shorter than him and had two full sleeves of tattoos. His hair was short and he had an awesome red beard. Brendon’s eyes flitted over the tattoos, following them all over Andy’s arms. He could see some of the tattoos disappear under Andy’s shirt and really wanted to see the rest of them and maybe even trace over them and…

“Um, Bren?”

“Huh?” Brendon snapped out of his trance and looked up at his friend. He noticed Andy motion his head to the other side of the counter. He spun around to see one of his regular customers. “Oh! Hi, Debby. Let me ring that right up for you. I see you got here in time for the fresh kale. We should get more in this weekend.”

Andy watched Brendon with the customer. The younger man was a bundle of energy, but he handled customers really well. He talked brightly with her all the way through their transaction. Andy admired that about Brendon. He could talk to _anyone_. “She’s pretty,” he commented after Debby had left the store.

Brendon spun around to where Andy was standing. He’d almost forgotten he was still there. That was typical for Brendon, though. He had a rather short attention span. ADD sucked. He glanced at the door then back at Andy. His heart sank a little at the other man’s words. “Oh, yeah, she is. You want me to introduce you? She’s really nice, too. Or is she not your type? Or do you even have a type? I mean, I know they call you straight edge and all, but I’m not even positive what that really means.”

Andy’s eyes had widened a little as Brendon spoke quickly. He was used to having twenty questions asked in one breath, but these questions were different than his normal ones. This wasn’t the first time he’d been asked what being straight edge was like, but it was the first time Brendon had asked. “Well, straight edge is pretty much a lifestyle. We don’t like to do things that’ll endanger our bodies and minds. So, no drugs, alcohol, processed foods, destructive thoughts, that kind of thing. But sex can be okay if it’s with someone compatible, someone who you care for and who cares for you.”

“Oh,” Brendon replied, digesting what Andy had said. The information processed and he got it for the most part. “So, I get that relationships might be bad for your mind. That explains why I’ve never really seen you with anyone. So I guess you don’t really have a type.”

“Not necessarily.” Andy felt his face heating up and he ducked his head to hide his embarrassment.

Brendon tilted his head to the side. “Wait, so relationships aren’t bad or you have a type?”

“I, um…” Andy paused to try and regain his composure. “I have a type.”

“Really?” Brendon said his voice low and deep as he leaned on the counter towards Andy, a curious grin on his face. “And what’s that?”

“You.”

Okay, Brendon was totally not expecting that. He was frozen in place, not even daring to move. His mouth was open slightly and he was leaning forward a little too much that he eventually tipped over and slid off the counter down to the floor.

Andy was immediately over the counter to make sure Brendon was okay. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

Brendon was grinning like a madman when he finally looked up at Andy. “I _really_ need to come see your band.”

“Yeah,” Andy laughed. “Yeah, you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know how hard it is to explain Grid League? It's interesting to watch, but not so easy to describe. Any errors I may have made in my explanation of straight edge are my fault. I did research.
> 
> So what do you think of the pairings? I do hope you're enjoying this as much as I did writing it. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Joe Trohman is in love. He’s in love with his boss’ boyfriend’s brother. Joe has been friends with Patrick for a long time. They went to school together. Patrick met Gerard at a bar one night when Joe and he had been out checking out local bands. Consequently, that was also the night Joe met Mikey. 

Michael Way, the tall, skinny motherfucker with blonde streaks in his hair and goofy glasses perched on his nose that he was forever pushing back up. Joe had fallen in love at first sight. While Patrick and Gerard were discussing intimate details of the Star Wars movies, he sat staring at Mikey. Neither one of them cared to talk a lot, though when Joe brought up the music store, Mikey opened up a little and got started talking about guitars and guitarists. They realized they shared a lot of the same interests and favorite bands. At the end of the night, Joe was the one who’d left with a number and not Patrick.

That was Gerard’s fault, Mikey said repeatedly. See, his brother was special. While he’d found a rapport with Patrick and seemed to really like him, he wouldn’t be able to see him again. Patrick had been devastated. Joe had been furious. Mikey had been apologetic. Gerard had been, well, Gerard.

Mikey never liked telling anyone what his brother’s real problem was, it wasn’t really his story to tell, but he really liked Joe and didn’t want to lose him because of Gerard. So Mikey told Joe and Joe understood and told Mikey to tell Gerard that Patrick would understand, too. But Gerard was too afraid that Patrick would hate him forever.

And so Joe and Mikey hatched a plan. 

“Hey, Pat, let’s go out tonight. I feel like getting wasted.”

Patrick looked up from his laptop at his roommate. “You just want me as a designated driver.”

“Well, no. I want you as a designated get my ass home safely-er.” Joe grinned at him.

“Why don’t you just ask Mikey?”

“He’s busy,” Joe mumbled as he turned to grab his jacket. He tossed Patrick’s at him.

Patrick let the jacket land on his computer and sighed, closing the top of his computer. “Oh all right. Let’s go.”

They arrived at the club just down the street from their apartment and headed to the table where they always sat. Joe went and got a diet Coke for Patrick and a beer for himself. They sat and chatted with everyone they knew and enjoyed the music.

They’d been there an hour when Patrick noticed Mikey coming through the door. He quickly glanced at Joe when he noticed there was a girl with his friend’s boyfriend. His mouth fell open when he saw Joe waving a Mikey to get his attention. “Joe,” he hissed at him. “Mikey has a girl with him! What the hell? I thought he was busy tonight anyway!”

Joe just ignored him and jumped up as Mikey and the girl approached their table. “Hey, babe,” he said to Mikey as he grabbed him for a kiss. “Hi, Gee.” He looked at the girl and winked. Moving to stand beside his boyfriend, he looked back at Patrick. Patrick looked like he was going to kill him. That only made Joe smile broader. 

Patrick swore under his breath. If Joe and Mikey thought they were making up for Mikey’s brother being a bitch by trying to set him up with a girl, he was going to be pissed. 

Mikey nodded at Patrick. “Hey, Patrick. Um, this is Gee.”

Patrick looked the girl curiously. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he knew her. “Hello,” he greeted and motioned to the seat beside him. He could at least be polite.

“Hello, Patrick,” Gee replied shyly before sitting beside him.

Patrick’s brow furrowed. Her voice sounded familiar, too. Why couldn’t he place her?

“We’ll go get drinks,” Joe said as he dragged Mikey away. He pulled his boyfriend towards the back of the club into one of the dark corners and pinned him against the wall with a kiss. He could tell Mikey was a little nervous about Gee and Patrick. They probably looked pretty funny since Joe was up on his tiptoes to kiss Mikey, not that anyone was looking.

The need for air made them part and Joe lowered his heels back on the floor. “They’ll be fine,” Joe said. He could feel Mikey’s long fingers twitching around his waist. 

“I know,” Mikey said with a sigh. “I trust Patrick. I don’t exactly trust Gee to not freak out.” He leaned his forehead against Joe’s.

Joe kissed his nose. “Okay, let’s go get some drinks and check on them.” He led Mikey to the bar then back to the table. The sight that greeted them surprised them.

Patrick practically had Gee in his lap as they made out. Mikey and Joe looked at each other in absolute shock. That hadn’t been the result either of them expected. They put the two diet Cokes down on the table and took their beers and headed out back where there was live music. They would come back later to find everything okay between Patrick and Gee/Gerard. And that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.


	5. Chapter 5

Joe grabbed his jacket as he headed towards the door. “Hey, babe, I’m heading to work. Do you need a ride anywhere?”

Mikey appeared in the kitchen doorway with a travel mug. “Could you drop me off at Gee’s? We were going to watch movies today.”

“Sure.” Joe kissed his boyfriend as he approached. He tasted like coffee and Mikey and maybe a little bit of weed. They had been smoking last night. It must have lingered, or Mikey had taken a few puffs this morning to get going.

They headed out to the car and Joe kissed him one more time before starting the car. “I love you, Mikes.”

Mikey smiled back. “I love you, too.”

It wasn’t long before they arrived at Patrick’s and Gerard’s house. Mikey got out and waved good bye to Joe and headed into the house. Joe pulled out of the drive and headed to the mall.

He could hear the music from several stores away. He had every intention of telling Spencer off the moment he walked in, but he stopped when he saw a guy playing the orange Gibson like a fucking guitar god. Watching the small man’s fingers fly over the neck of the guitar, he stared. He could hear Spencer drumming on the counter nearby.

Suddenly the man looked up and stopped playing. “Uh, hi,” he said, his face flushing.

“Hi,” Joe replied then moved to the counter. Spencer had stopped drumming and was staring at him with wide eyes. “Want to explain?”

“I’ll go put this up and wait for you out front, Spence,” the man said with a smile. He turned to return the guitar to its spot up front.

Joe put his hands on his hips, eyebrow disappearing beneath his curly hair. “Well?”

Spencer suddenly snorted with laughter. “That sounded just like Judge Smails in Caddyshack.”

“Fuck, Spence!” Joe actually laughed, too. He hardly ever saw Spencer laugh, so of course it was catching. “So, is that your new boyfriend? He’s a pretty good guitarist.”

“Yeah, he is pretty good,” Spencer replied and blushed a little. “He’s not my _boyfriend_ though.”

“Yeah, right,” Joe replied. He moved around the counter to check the register. “Hey, you should bring your _not_ boyfriend to The Academy tonight. Mikey’s friend Pete’s band is playing tonight. And drag your roommate out, too.”

“Hm, that’s not such a bad idea. Ryan hasn’t been out much this week.” Spencer put away his drum sticks and the practice pad. “We’ll see you tonight.” He patted Joe on the shoulder as he passed and headed to meet up with Frank.

Frank was leaning against the wall outside of the store. "I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"

Spencer shook his head. "Nah. That was just Joe. He was impressed with your playing." He looked up and down the mall for a moment. "So, do you want to go get some coffee?"

Frank smiled and pushed away from the wall. "That sounds great."

They walked side by side to the coffee shop just three shops down from the music store. Once their coffees were ordered and made, they went to sit by the window. After a few sips in silence, they both spoke at the same time, "I was wondering if you..." They stopped and laughed. "Go ahead," Spencer said.

"Nah, you go first," Frank insisted. He motioned for the other man to continue.

Spencer blushed again before he spoke. "Okay, so Joe invited me to go with him and his boyfriend to see some band tonight and suggested I bring you. Would you, um, like to go with me?"

Frank chuckled. "I was going to ask if you wanted to hear my band tonight. We're playing at The Academy."

"Holy shit, really? Joe said they were going there."

"Small world, huh?" Frank grinned.

"Yeah," Spencer replied with a broad smile. "So yes, I really want to hear your band."

"Awesome. I'll definitely put your name on the list." Frank didn't think he could get any happier. 

"Do you mind if I bring my roommate with me?"

"No, that's cool." They continued to talk as they finished their coffee.

 

Jon watched Spencer from behind the counter. They had become friends when Jon first started working at the coffee shop six months ago as supplement income. The only person he'd ever seen him come into the shop with before had been Ryan, his roommate. This guy definitely wasn't Ryan. Jon was glad to see his friend happily talking with someone new. 

"Hi, Jon," a voice said from in front of him. 

Jon looked up and automatically smiled. "Pete! What brings you here? Is everything okay with Hemmy?"

"Oh yeah, he's fine," Pete replied. "I was just in the mall and thought I'd stop in to say hi." He couldn't stop the blush that colored his cheeks. 

Jon didn't miss the rosiness of the other man's face. "I was just about to clock out. Can I get you anything?"

Pete shook his head. "No, that's okay. I just... I didn't mean to..."

Jon put a hand on Pete's arm. "It's on the house. I usually make one for me before I leave anyway. We can sit and chat for a bit." He could easily admit that he was growing fond of Pete. He liked that he could bring a smile to the older man's face.

"Okay," Pete replied with a toothy grin. "Um, what would you suggest?"

Jon stepped back and stroked his chin in thought. An idea came to him. "Do you like caramel apples? You know, like the ones they sell at Navy Pier"

"Oh my god," Pete said fondly. "I used to love those."

"Good. Go sit down and I'll make you something that tastes almost identical."

Pete nodded and headed over to a table near the outside entrance. He always chose to sit in spots like that in case he needed to make a hasty exit because of his anxiety. It was only a couple of minutes before Jon joined him. The other man put a cup of steaming liquid in front of him as he sat down. Pete inhaled the aroma, which had a very apple like scent with a sweet tinge. He picked up the cup and blew over the top to cool the liquid before taking a sip.

Pete's eyes lit up as the coffee touched his tongue. "Holy shit, it _does_ taste like a caramel apple!"

"Told ya," Jon said with a laugh.

"You are totally my new favorite," Pete said as he cradled the cup delicately. "So, um, as payback maybe you could come hear my band tonight?"

Jon's eyes were sparkling as he replied, "I can definitely do that."

"Awesome. I'll make sure they have your name at the door." Pete couldn't have been happier. He was hoping he could impress Jon with his performance. Taking another sip of his delicious drink, he began telling the other man about what Hemingway had done that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you are enjoying this. I had a great time writing it. The Judge Smails comment Spencer makes to Joe is from this: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQFxmAdyKcg ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQFxmAdyKcg)


	6. Chapter 6

Andy picked Brendon up at work before the band had their sound check. He had begged Andy to let him come, which honestly didn't take much. They arrived at the club before everyone else, so they decided to make out while waiting. Brendon realized that Andy was one hell of a kisser. He was _way_ better than anyone else he'd kissed before. 

Frank was the next to arrive. He had keys to the bar since he worked there. Andy introduced Brendon to him and the younger man was all toothy smiles. Frank had taken note of how red their lips were and that their cheeks were flushed. He didn't say anything because he was rather happy for his drummer. 

Brendon helped Andy with his kit, hauling pieces in and putting them together. He met the others as they came in. Pete was quiet and had a great smile. Ray was tall and had really curly hair. Brendon immediately liked them. While they tuned up, he went out into the club to find the best spot to listen.

He wandered from beside the stage to out front to the back and finally took a seat on a stool at the bar. Hearing movement behind him, he turned to see a rather large blond man setting down crates of alcohol behind the counter. “Hi,” he said in a cautious greeting.

The man looked a little startled when he saw Brendon. “Hello.” He glanced towards the stage and saw Frank’s band warming up. “Are you with Frank?”

Brendon shook his head, then nodded then shook it again. “Actually I’m with Andy,” he replied with a huge grin. “I’m Brendon.” He held out his hand towards the other man in hopes he would introduce himself.

“Bob,” the other man said in response, leaning to shake Brendon’s hand. “You’re with Andy? I didn’t think he did relationships.”

“Only ones where there is reciprocation.” Brendon waggled his eyebrows and turned back to look at the stage. “So, in your opinion, Bob, where’s the best place to watch a band in here?”

Bob raised an eyebrow at the smaller man. This dude was weird, but oddly perfect for Andy. “I wouldn’t know. I’m usually at the door.”

Brendon leaned back to look at Bob again. “Ah, that makes sense.” Someone whistled and Brendon glanced at the stage to see Ray waving for him to come back. They were obviously finished. “Well, nice meeting you, Bob. See you tonight!” He hopped off the stool and skipped towards the stage.

The band invited Brendon along to their normal pre-concert routine of eating at Taco Bell. He’d almost backed out, but the moment Andy said it was his treat, he agreed. The table was covered in food as they sat around chatting about bands they liked and got to know Brendon. They were all really nice to him and that made Brendon happy.

Ray left first, wanting to go take a nap. Pete went shortly after, saying he needed to go let Hemmingway out. Andy explained to Brendon that Hemmingway was Pete’s new dog. Brendon almost begged to go with him, but Andy’s hand on his leg kept him in place. 

Frank and Andy were in a deep discussion about their set while Brendon finished up the Nachos Supreme. Brendon had pretty much zoned out, not being included in the conversation, so he was surprised when Andy bumped his shoulder and said it was time to go. They dumped their trash and walked out together. Frank bid them good bye and Brendon got into the passenger seat of Andy’s car. 

“I guess you could just drop me back off at the store,” Brendon said with a tinge of sadness in his voice. He wasn’t quite ready to let Andy go, but he knew the other man needed to get ready for the concert.

Andy turned to face him, licking his lips before he spoke. “Actually, I was going to ask if you’d like to come to my place.”

Brendon’s eyes widened almost comically. “Really?” he squeaked out. “Um, I mean, sure, if I’m not going to upset your usual routine or anything.” He knew his face was turning red. He could feel the heat.

Andy shrugged. “I don’t really have a routine other than relaxing. I’m pretty positive I could relax with you around.”

Brendon’s reaction was to smile then attack Andy with a kiss, wrapping his arms around the other man’s neck. It wasn’t long before Andy’s arms were around Brendon’s chest and he was returning the kiss just as desperately. Finally they separated to breathe and Andy started the car to take them to his apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

Spencer walked into his apartment and tossed his keys onto the table beside the door. He looked and saw Ryan sitting in the exact same spot he’d left him that morning. Sighing, he moved towards the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Yep, Ryan hadn’t moved. 

“We’re going out tonight,” he said to his roommate as he pulled out the carton of meat and rice he’d left for Ryan. He put it in the microwave to heat up. “Have you even moved today?”

“Hm?” Ryan looked up from his blank page where he was chewing on his pen. “Um, no, I was too busy.”

“Right.” Spencer took the carton out and grabbed a fork. He then grabbed two beers and moved over to where Ryan was sitting. “Did you get anything written?” he asked as he sat the food beside his best friend and handed him a beer.

Ryan absently took the bottle and sighed. “Nothing. I just can’t get past this fucking writer’s block.” He took a long drink and sat the bottle on the table as he picked up the carton. “I’m sorry I forgot to eat.”

Spencer leaned his head on Ryan’s shoulder. “You have to take care of yourself, Ry. I mean, there might come a day where I’m not around.”

“Don’t ever say that,” Ryan scolded. He couldn’t imagine being without Spencer, ever. “So why are we going out tonight?”

“Because you haven’t been out of the building in, what, two weeks?”

Ryan frowned. “I have so.”

“Going to get the mail is not getting out, Ry,” Spencer replied. He was glad Ryan was eating. “Look, a friend of mine’s band is playing at The Academy tonight. Joe and Mikey are going, too. And I’ll buy you dinner at that wings place you like.”

Ryan pulled back from Spencer to look at him. “You… you _hate_ watching me eat wings. What’s going on?”

Spencer couldn’t stop his face from flushing. “Um, well, I want you to go so you can meet my friend.”

A smile slowly spread across Ryan’s face. “Friend, huh? Sure it isn’t something _more_ than that?”

“What? No, of course not.” Spencer slid towards the other end of the couch from Ryan. He knew what was coming next. 

“Right. Spencer Smith _hates_ when I eat Buffalo wings, yet he’s willing to take me to eat them just so I’ll go meet his ‘friend’.” Ryan’s long, slender fingers made quotes when he said friend.

“Exactly. We’ll leave at six.”

“Okay, so what kind of music do they play?” Ryan looked at Spencer like he really wanted to know. That confused Spencer a bit.

“Uh, mostly, like, punk and, like, metal, I think.” Spencer reached up to scratch the back of his neck nervously.

Ryan’s look slowly morphed into a smirk. “And your _friend_? He does what? Play drums?”

Spencer shook his head. “No, he’s the guitarist and singer.”

The smirk grew even larger. “And he’s _just_ a friend. Hm, maybe I should call Joe.” Ryan made a move towards his phone.

Spencer lurched forward to grab Ryan’s hand. “No!” What he hadn’t expected was that Ryan would predict his movement and quickly changed his direction to start tickling Spencer. “Arugh! Stop, Ryan!”

Ryan grinned as he continued his assault on his best friend. “Not until you tell me the truth. Do you like this guy? Like, _like_ like?”

Spencer was trying to smack Ryan’s hands away. He really didn’t want to answer the question, but if he wanted his roommate to stop, he had to. And answer truthfully. “Yes,” he muttered.

“What was that?”

Spencer wiggled and fell off the couch. “Ouch. Yes, okay? I like him.” His face was red from laughing and from being completely embarrassed.

Ryan now realized why Spencer had hinted at them one day not being roommates. “Oh.” He sat back and looked down at Spencer. “Well, I’m happy for you.” He reached his arm out to help him get up.

Spencer took Ryan’s hand and pulled himself up. “Thanks,” he replied as he climbed back on the couch and sat right beside his friend. “It’s weird. He’s so nice and really fucking cute, but he’s as short as Jackie and Crystal.”

Ryan kissed the top of Spencer’s head as he pulled him to lean on his shoulder. “Height doesn’t matter. But if he hurts you, I’ll kick his little ass.”

Spencer smiled and leaned heavily into Ryan. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

“You’re my best friend, Spence. I don’t want anyone to hurt you.” He picked back up the container of food and began eating again as Spencer leaned on him, totally content with how his life was at this very moment.


	8. Chapter 8

“I love you, Spencer,” Ryan said with a grin as he got back into Spencer’s car.

“Yeah, yeah,” Spencer mumbled as he turned the key in the ignition and headed to The Academy. He wondered why he had even agreed to this. Ryan was so fucking messy when he ate Buffalo wings. “Did you wash your hands?”

“Three times. And I didn’t even get sauce on my shirt.” Ryan smiled proudly at the accomplishment.

Of course he didn’t, Spencer thought. He’d made Ryan wear a fucking lobster bib. They pulled up at the club and headed to the doors. “Um, hi,” he said to one of the very large gentlemen standing to either side of the doors. “Frank was supposed to give you my name. I’m Spencer. Spencer Smith?” He hadn’t meant for his name to come out like a question, but it did.

The bouncer he was talking to looked over at the other bouncer. “Bob,” he said to get the other man’s attention.

Bob looked over at his companion after glancing briefly at the men standing in front of them. “Yes, Zack?”

“That’s Spencer. _Frank’s_ Spencer.”

Bob’s eyes widened. “He’s a hell of a lot skinnier than I expected.”

Zack sighed and shook his head. “No, the other one.”

The blonde bouncer narrowed his eyes at Spencer, giving him the once over. “Hm, interesting.”

Spencer’s mouth had fallen open in shock at the bouncers’ conversation. “Excuse me?” he questioned.

“Never mind him,” Zack said. “We’ve just heard a lot about you since you two met. He’s probably back in the dressing rooms. Enjoy your evening.” He opened the door for Spencer and Ryan to go through.

Ryan had bit his lip to keep from making comments until they were inside the foyer of the club. “ _Frank’s_ Spencer, huh? And you’re just _friends_?”

Spencer knew Ryan’s teasing tone and punched him lightly in the arm. “Oh, shut up. Let’s go find the band.”

The door had just closed behind them when someone else walked up to the bouncers. “Hi. Pete said…” Before Jon could finish, he was interrupted.

“Pete put someone on the list?” Bob questioned, moving over to look at the clipboard in Zack’s hand. “Pete has never put anyone except Mikey on the list and he doesn’t even bother now since we know him so well.”

Zack looked down at his list and pointed at the name beside Pete’s name. “Jon Walker.” He looked up at the bearded man standing before them. “You don’t look much like a Jon.”

“Um,” Jon started in confusion, “thank you?”

Bob reached back to open the door. “We need to tell those guys to stop confusing us by bringing in new people.” He watched Jon Walker walk in and closed the door behind him. “He’s cute, though. Pete made a good choice.”

Zack just nodded and went back over his list to see who was left.

Jon blinked his eyes to adjust to the lighting in the club. He looked around and was surprised to see familiar faces not far away. He walked up to the group of men standing just ahead of him. “Wow, small world.”

Spencer looked up and smiled. “Jon Walker. What are you doing here?”

“A friend plays in the band that’s on tonight,” he explained.

“Am I the only one who doesn’t have a _friend_ in this band?” Ryan questioned.

Suddenly Spencer felt a weight on his back. “Smith! What are you doing here? Oh, hello, Ryan. Hi, Jon.” Brendon had attached himself to the drummer’s back and was looking over his shoulder.

Spencer opened his mouth to reply, but Ryan raised his hand. “Wait, let me guess. You have a friend in the band, too, Brendon.”

“ _Boy_ friend,” Brendon corrected. “He’s the drummer.” He grinned broadly, his eyes glazing over a little. A moment later, something clicked and he dismounted from Spencer’s back and bounced in the middle of them. “You’re the Spencer that Frank was talking about,” he spun to face Jon, “and you’re the Jon that Pete was talking about. Wow, this is awesome!”

The other three men stood awkwardly looking at Brendon for a moment. Jon looked in the club and noticed people on the stage. “Looks like they’re setting up,” he said.

“They are,” Brendon said as he grabbed Spencer’s and Jon’s hands. “Come on. We can go say hi and get a spot up front for the concert.” He dragged the two men away leaving Ryan in their wake.

“Frank! Pete! Look who I found!” Brendon yelled at the stage when they got closer and pushed Spencer and Jon in front of him.

Frank heard the commotion (and his name) and looked up. His face brightened the moment he saw Spencer. He gave him a little wave and moved over to crouch at the edge of the stage. “You made it!”

Spencer smiled back, his relaxed, happy smile, Ryan noticed. “Yeah. Can’t wait to hear you guys.”

A rather tall, shaggy haired guy came up behind Frank and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and nodded. “Well, we’re about ready, so…” He trailed off and giggled a little as he stood up. “Prepare to be rocked!”

Spencer laughed and moved to stand with Brendon, Ryan and Jon. Ryan was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, clearly conveying his earlier opinion of the bullshit that Frank is _just_ a friend to him. Spencer just rolled his eyes and waved at Mikey and Joe as they wove through the crowd. “Where’re Patrick and Gerard?”

“By the bar,” Joe replied. “We’ll meet up with them after.”

Spencer nodded then turned to face the stage as he heard a drum beat. He felt someone move to stand beside him and looked to see Ryan staring at the other guitarist on stage. He couldn’t tell exactly what kind of look his friend had on his face, whether it was jealousy or desire. Ryan had always wanted to become a musician and play his guitar on stage, play his music to thousands of people, but it just hadn’t worked out for them.

Soon the music started and nothing else mattered. Spencer went from listening to Frank’s voice, to following the drum line, to watching Frank scream into the microphone and looking dead sexy doing it. At one point, he’d thrown himself into the mosh pit for one song until he’d gotten shoved to the floor. He panicked for a brief moment until he felt a long fingered hand grasp his wrist and pull him out. He looked up at the tall, exotic looking man who’d helped him and said his thanks. The man had winked and pushed him towards his friends again before he started to pull someone else out of the pit.

Brendon had worried over him for a moment, but then went back to jumping up and down and screaming with the music. Ryan had just looked at him and nodded when he knew he was okay. When it was all over, Spencer finally took a breath. That had been incredible! He was totally impressed with the band and couldn’t wait to meet the rest.

They were herded back stage by Brendon and the tall guy who assumedly worked for the club. Spencer was pretty positive the guy grabbed his ass at one point. That was confirmed when he heard Mikey say, “Gabe, stop grabbing Spencer’s ass unless you want Frank to kick yours.”

Gabe pouted at Mikey. “Michael, you take the fun out of everything.” With that, he turned and left them to find the dressing rooms on their own. 

The moment Spencer stepped into the room he was assaulted by the smell of sweat and testosterone. Frank bombarded him with a hug immediately and he blushed deep red. “You guys were great,” Spencer said as he tried to control the heat in his face.

Frank giggled as he let go. He looked over Spencer’s shoulder at Ryan. “You must be Ryan. I’m Frank,” he said and held his hand out to him and wrapped his other arm around Spencer. “Spencer has told me all about you.”

Ryan shook his hand politely. “Nice to finally meet you, Frank. Spencer has told me absolutely nothing about you.”

That caught Frank a little off guard. Just as he was going to respond, Ray walked up. “So, this is Spencer?” the tall man asked.

Frank’s grin quickly reappeared. “Yeah, Spence, this is Ray.”

“Hi,” Spencer said, reaching to shake Ray’s hand. “This is my roommate, Ryan.” He motioned with his head to Ryan.

Ryan was staring at Ray. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the older man. Reaching out, he grasped the hand Ray had extended. He could feel the callouses on his fingers. “Hi,” he finally said a little giddily.

Ray’s smile was stunning. “Nice to meet you.”

“Your performance tonight was fantastic.” Ryan was trying so hard not to come off as a fanboy, but he was failing spectacularly.

“Thanks,” Ray replied honestly. “Do you play?”

Frank pulled Spencer away from them. “I think we should leave those two and I really need a beer.” He moved them over to where a cooler was sitting and pulled out two beers, handing one to Spencer.

“Okay, that was really weird,” Spencer said as he took the bottle and twisted the cap off.

“Which part, Ryan fanboying over Ray or the fact that he still hasn’t let go of Ray’s hand?” Frank grinned and took a swig of his beer.

“That latter can go both ways,” Spencer noted. “I have never seen Ryan act this way about anyone _ever_.”

“Really?” Frank glanced over at the two guitarists again. Their body language was mirroring each other. They had actually moved closer together. And Ray hadn’t let go of Ryan’s hand either. There was something going on there.

Mikey poked his head in the room. “Hey, are you guys doing the usual tonight?” he asked.

Frank looked around the room and shrugged. “Yeah, probably. Are you meeting us there?”

“We’ll get a table big enough,” Mikey replied then disappeared.

“What’s the usual?” Spencer asked as he tipped back his bottle to finish his beer.

“We go to Denny’s after we play. It’s sort of a ritual.” Frank followed Spencer’s example and drank the rest of his beer, too.

“You’re coming, aren’t you, Spencer?” Brendon asked as he and Andy appeared beside them.

Spencer looked between Frank and Brendon. “Um, I guess so.”

“Awesome.” Brendon grinned and tucked himself tighter into Andy’s side.

Pete walked over to them with Jon by his side. “Are you guys ready to go? Bob’s been staring through the door for the last, like, five minutes or something. It’s creepy.”

Frank giggled. “Aw, he isn’t that bad.”

“I need to pack up my drums first,” Andy interjected.

There was a huff from the doorway. “I’ll take care of it, Andy,” Bob said.

“You’re my favorite, Bob.” Andy pulled Brendon closer and headed out the door. “We’ll meet you there.”

“Anyone need a ride?” Spencer asked.

Pete glanced at Jon with a raised eyebrow. “Nah, I’ll take Pete,” Jon replied. He glanced over to where Ryan and Ray were still standing very close and talking softly. “What about those two?”

Frank rolled his eyes at the two guitarists. “Yo, Ray, we’re heading out. You two coming?”

Ray looked up briefly then tilted his head back to Ryan to speak softly to the younger man. After a moment, Ryan nodded and Ray looked back at Frank. “Yeah. I’ll drive.”

“I’ll ride with him,” Ryan added as he looked at Spencer.

Spencer looked at his roommate in shock. Ryan barely knew Ray and was already going to ride in a car with him. Something was going on and he was definitely going to be asking later. “Okay,” he said finally before turning to Frank. “I guess that means you’re stuck with me.”

“I’m totally okay with that,” Frank said as he grabbed Spencer’s arm and led him to the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest and penultimate chapter. I hope you are enjoying this.


	9. Chapter 9

The drive to Denny’s was relatively uneventful. Frank and Spencer were quiet, just the soft sounds of the radio playing. They didn’t have far to go anyway. The restaurant was just on the opposite side of the mall from the club. They pulled into a parking space beside Jon’s car. He and Pete had just gotten out and were walking towards the doors.

Spencer had turned the car off and was getting ready to open the door when he felt Frank’s hand on his arm. When he turned to face him, he suddenly had Frank’s lips against his. He couldn’t help reaching out and grabbing the other man’s shirt to pull him closer. 

When they parted, Frank was biting his lip nervously. “Sorry,” he said as he scanned Spencer’s face. “I just wanted to get that over with before we go in there.”

Spencer was staring at him blankly then with a smirk, pulled him back in to kiss Frank himself. He moved a hand up to tangle in the older man’s hair. He had to admit that this was pretty fucking rad. The need for air became a priority and they broke apart. Spencer leaned his forehead against Frank’s, breathing deeply. “I guess I really can’t just call you a ‘friend’ now, can I?”

Frank was still a little dazed from the kiss, but he giggled like a child. “Guess not,” he replied. He pecked Spencer’s lips lightly and sat back to get his heartbeat under control. Looking down, he noticed the distinct indentions in his shirt that looked like someone had grabbed him. He liked that look, actually.

Spencer pulled his keys from the ignition and opened his door. “We should get in there before they come looking for us.”

Frank nodded and climbed from the car. He walked beside Spencer, but made sure he bumped into him every so often. He saw the other man’s smile out of the corner of his eye and it warmed him. They entered the restaurant and saw Joe wave to them.

“Hi, Frank,” a waitress spoke as they were passing to the long table where the rest of their friends were sitting. “How was the concert?”

Frank smiled at the petite young woman. “Hey, Jamia. It went really well.”

Spencer snorted from beside him. “Right. It was totally awesome.”

Jamie noticed the look Frank was giving the young man to his side. She smirked at him and winked. “Right. You brought a crowd in tonight. I better get a fantastic tip.”

A slight flush reddened Frank’s face. “I promise, Jams.” He grabbed Spencer’s arm and dragged him to the table. There was a spot next to Jon that he dumped Spencer into and sat beside him. 

 

The next hour was filled with sugary goodness and enough coffee to fill an army. They talked loudly, everyone chiming in on something. As things began to wind down, Andy and Brendon were the first to leave. Brendon feigned something about needing his beauty sleep, but the way he was looking at Andy, everyone could tell he had no plans at all to get any sleep.

Gerard and Patrick were next. Patrick commended Frank, Pete and Ray on such a good show and told Spencer that he would open up in the morning. As they were walking out, Joe stood and leaned down to kiss Mikey. “I’ll go pay our check, babe.”

There was a sudden squeal of chair legs against the floor and everyone turned to see Pete standing. He was pale and staring right at Joe. “I have to go,” he said quietly and was out the door before anyone could say anything. 

“Fuck,” Joe sighed. “I didn’t mean to…” He looked really sorry.

Mikey patted his arm. “It’s not your fault, Joe.”

Jon was completely flabbergasted. He had no idea what was going on. Pete had seemed perfectly fine all night until Joe kissed Mikey. He leaned towards Spencer and asked, “What’s that all about?”

Spencer glanced at Frank who was glaring daggers at Joe. Obviously he knew the situation. He lowered his head to whisper to Jon. “Pete and Mikey used to be roommates. Pete had a crush on Mikey the entire time, but he never did anything about it. Unrequited love is a bitch.” He glanced down the table at his own roommate.

Jon nodded in understanding. Pulling out his wallet, he passed a couple of bills to the other man. “Would you take care of our…”

Spencer stopped him before he could finish, nodding as he took the money. “Go on. He’s been known to be, um…”

It was Jon’s turn to stop Spencer. “Yeah, I know. I’ll make sure he’s okay.” He stood and headed for the door.

Joe was still standing looking stupefied. “I thought that since he’d brought someone with him he would be okay.”

“I fucking swear, Joe, if you’ve broken our bassist, I’ll kill you.” Frank had stood and was leaning over the table.

Spencer put a hand on Frank’s arm to calm him. Joe had stepped behind his chair, putting more space between him and Frank. Mikey glared right back at Frank. “Fuck off, Frank. Pete should be over his crush. It wasn’t my fault that he never told me.”

Ray grabbed the back of Frank’s shirt and lifted him physically, placing him back in his seat. “Calm down, Frank, or I’m going to let Jamia kick your ass.”

Frank crossed his arms over his chest. Joe had taken off to pay for their bill. Mikey followed and they went out the side door. Spencer was looking curiously at Frank, trying to figure him out. He turned when he felt someone tapping his shoulder.

Ryan leaned down to whisper in his ear. “Ray has invited me over to check out his guitars.”

Spencer raised an eyebrow. “Ah. Okay. Guitars.”

“That way you have the apartment to settle your boyfriend down.”

“He is not…” Spencer sighed. Well, maybe he was now. “Okay. I’ll see you sometime, I guess.”

Ryan stood and patted Spencer on top of his head. “Yep.” He walked off to where Ray was waiting on him by the door.

Spencer turned back to see Frank and Jamia having a staring contest. He glanced around to see they were pretty much the only ones left in the restaurant. Leaning towards Frank, he kissed his cheek. Jamia suddenly burst out laughing as Frank turned red as a tomato.

“I like you,” Jamia directed towards Spencer as she started clearing off the tables.

“Thanks.” Spencer’s phone beeped. He took it out of his pocket to check the message. A smile covered his face. “Pete’s fine, Frank. Ryan says that he and Jon are ‘totally making out all over Jon’s car.’”

The tension flowed out of Frank as he exhaled. “Thank God. I get worried about him sometimes.”

Spencer nodded in understanding. “Hey, um, Ryan was going home with Ray, so I’m going to be all by myself all night. So, you know, if you wanted, you’re more than welcome to come home with me. And my boss just said I don’t have to open in the morning.”

“You and me,” Frank began, looking slyly at Spencer, “alone in your apartment all night. Are you sure you trust me?”

“Absolutely not.” Spencer returned his sly look.

“Sounds good to me.” Frank stood, tossing some money on the table, leaving a very good tip for Jamia in hopes she will not gossip about what she was about to see. He took Spencer’s hand and looked him in the eye. “Then let’s get out of here, Spencer Smith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has read this. I've considered writing more in this universe. Not sure what, but I might. If anyone has suggestions, I'll be grateful.


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